Jian woke before sunrise.
He didn't know why.
He just popped up like someone airdropped energy into his brain.
He dressed quickly.
Almost tripped.
Ate toothpaste.
Yelled.
His little sister watched him dramatically.
"mama gege is going to school EARLY. He is sick."
Jian tied his shoelaces in the worst way possible.
"I'm fine— I'm just— IT'S LATE—"
"You're one hour EARLY!" his mother shouted.
Jian ran out with bread in his mouth.
His sister screamed behind him:
"BYE gege!! GO MEET YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"
Jian almost slipped.
"It's NOT— ANYTHING— LIKE THAT—!!!"
But his ears were red.
Jian entered early.
His heart was stupidly excited.
He hated that.
But he was.
He looked at the last window seat—
Empty.
Jian stopped.
Completely.
He sat down slowly, staring at the chair like it betrayed him.
Five minutes passed.
No Wei.
Ten minutes.
No Wei.
The bell rang.
Still no Wei.
Something in Jian's chest tightened in a strange, uncomfortable way.
"…He always comes early."
"…Where is he?"
"…Why am I waiting like this?"
He forcibly turned his eyes to the board.
But his thoughts weren't there.
They were stuck on the empty seat.
Right before third period, the door slid open.
Everyone looked up.
Wei walked in.
Quiet.
Slow.
Not right.
His skin was pale.
His eyes dull, as if he didn't sleep at all.
His movements heavy.
He looked tired.
Deeply tired.
The teacher frowned.
"Why are you so late?"
Wei bowed slightly.
"...I woke up late."
His voice was softer than usual.
Almost broken.
The teacher sighed.
"Go sit."
Wei walked to his last row window seat.
His steps looked slightly uneven.
He sat.
Rested his head against the cold window.
Closed his eyes immediately.
Jian's chest tightened again.
"…He looks… wrong."
Short break came.
Everyone ate.
Talked.
Ran around.
Wei didn't move.
His head stayed on the desk.
Eyes closed.
Breathing soft.
Jian stared.
He didn't even hide it.
Yanyan nudged him.
"Why are you staring at Wei so much today?"
"I— I wasn't— I'm just— he… looks tired."
Yanyan blinked.
"He ALWAYS looks tired. Why today you suddenly notice?"
Jian froze.
He had no answer.
Yanyan giggled.
"It's cute though!"
Jian nearly choked on his water.
Lunch bell rang.
Students sprinted out.
But Wei—
didn't even lift his head.
He didn't eat.
He didn't move.
He just slept.
Small.
Quiet.
Folded into himself.
Jian couldn't stand looking at him like that.
It made something twist painfully under his ribs.
He wanted to wake him up.
Ask if he was okay.
Force him to eat.
But he didn't move.
He just watched.
Feeling more restless by the second.
When the final bell rang, chaos erupted."Let's get milk tea!"
"Finally, freedom!"
Yanyan tugged Jian's sleeve.
"We're all going to the café today! Come with us na~"
Jian rubbed the back of his neck.
"I… can't today."
"Again?" she whispered.
He looked away.
"Sorry. I have… a thing."
Yanyan sighed softly.
"Okay… see you tomorrow."
Jian felt guilty.
But he still walked away.
Down the stairs.
To the exact place he waited yesterday.
This time his heart wasn't excited.
It was uneasy.
Too uneasy.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Finally—
Footsteps.
Wei appeared slowly at the bottom of the stairs.
He looked even paler than earlier.
Eyes half-lidded.
Breath small.
Shoulders slumped.
He held his bag with his left hand again, moving gently like everything hurt a little.
Jian's heart lurched.
"...Wei."
Wei lifted his eyes.
They looked tired.
"...You're still here?"
"Yes," Jian said quickly. "I was waiting."
Wei blinked, almost surprised.
He walked past slowly.
Jian followed without thinking.
"Are you… okay?"
Wei nodded once.
"Mm."
"You sure?"
"Mm."
"You look…"
Jian's voice softened without permission.
"…really tired."
Wei looked down at his shoes.
"I didn't sleep well."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
Something was missing.
Jian's chest tightened.
"…Is something wrong?"
Wei hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then:
"No."
But his voice cracked.
Slightly.
Small.
Almost hidden.
Jian noticed.
As they walked, a gust of cold wind blew down the street.
Wei shivered.
Not dramatically.
Just a slight, involuntary movement.
Jian reacted instinctively—
He reached toward Wei's hand—
Wei immediately pulled his hand back into his sleeve, hiding it.
Jian blinked, startled.
"I wasn't— I wasn't grabbing it," he said quietly.
"I just thought…"
Wei shook his head faintly.
"…It's okay."
But his voice was fragile.
Thin.
Disappearing into the cold.
Something was wrong.
Jian felt it in his bones.
But he didn't know what it was.
He didn't know how to ask.
He only knew one thing:
He didn't want Wei walking like this.
"You didn't eat today," Jian said quietly.
Wei didn't respond.
"You slept through every break."
Still nothing.
"You're not… fine."
Wei finally whispered:
"…It's nothing."
That phrase stabbed Jian.
He stepped in front of Wei, blocking his way.
"Wei. Talk to me."
Wei blinked, startled by the closeness.
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
"I said I am."
"You can barely stand—"
Wei flinched at the tone.
Jian stopped himself.
He softened instantly.
"...sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
Wei looked away.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Jian exhaled slowly.
"Why did you come today?"
His voice was quiet.
Almost pleading.
"You looked… really unwell."
Wei's breath stilled.
He stepped back half a step.
Jian stepped forward half a step.
Then—
Wei whispered something.
Soft.
Broken.
Small.
"…because…"
Jian's eyes softened.
"Because what?"
Wei swallowed.
His lashes lowered.
Then, in the faintest voice:
"...because you said yes."
Jian froze.
"What?"
Wei's voice trembled.
"You said… tomorrow too."
Jian's chest tightened painfully.
Wei continued, barely audible:
"I… didn't want to… break it."
The wind fell silent.
Cars slowed.
Birds quieted.
Everything paused.
Jian stood still—
heart thudding too loudly
eyes unable to move
breath caught halfway in his chest.
He didn't understand.
He didn't know how to understand.
But the words hit something deep inside him:
"…because you said yes."
It felt like a small confession.
A tiny truth.
A warm ache.
Wei turned away quickly, as if realizing what he just said.
"Let's… go home."
Jian didn't move for three seconds.
Then he followed him.
Not because he understood why.
Just because he didn't want Wei walking alone anymore.